WATCH | DRDO conducts two successful flight tests of made-in-India VSHORADS missile; Man-portable air defence to plug gaps at LAC
The defence ministry said VSHORADS flight tests were carried out from a ground-based man-portable launcher against high-speed unmanned aerial targets and the targets were successfully intercepted, meeting all mission objectives.
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New Delhi, Mar 15: In yet another boost to Made-In-India, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on Tuesday conducted two consecutive successful flight tests of Very Short Range Air Defence System (VSHORADS) missile at Chandipur off the coast of Odisha.
The defence ministry said flight tests were carried out from a ground-based man-portable launcher against high-speed unmanned aerial targets. It said the targets were successfully intercepted, meeting all mission objectives.
Complimenting DRDO and industry partners, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said the missile equipped with novel technologies will give further technological boost to the Armed Forces. Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO Dr Samir V Kamat also congratulated the teams associated with the consecutive successful flight tests.
VSHORADS Missile-
VSHORADS is a Man Portable Air Defence System (MANPAD) meant for neutralising low altitude aerial threats at short ranges. It has been designed and developed indigenously by Research Centre Imarat, Hyderabad in collaboration with other DRDO laboratories and Indian Industry Partners. The missile incorporates many novel technologies including Dual-band IIR Seeker, miniaturised Reaction Control System and integrated avionics. The propulsion is provided by a dual thrust solid motor.
The missile system, being man-portable and lightweight compared to other missile systems, can be deployed quickly in the mountains close to the Line of Actual Control with China in Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh.
India and China have been locked in a tense military standoff along the entire LAC since May 2020. Troops from the two sides clashed in Arunachal's Tawang in December last year.
In September of last year, DRDO conducted two successful test flights of the VSHORADS missile from a ground-based portable launcher at the Integrated Test Range in Chandipur, off the coast of Odisha.
In January 2023, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) approved the procurement of the Very Short Range Air Defence System or VSHORAD (IR Homing) missile system.